Informational tags known as "law tags" are universally provided on mattresses and like bedding. A law tag is tag of material on which various contents indicia are printed as well as an indication that the tag is not to be removed, such indicia typically reading: "UNDER PENALTY OF LAW THIS TAG NOT TO BE REMOVED EXCEPT BY THE CONSUMER". Conventionally in the manufacture and application of law tags to upholstered furnishings, e.g., mattresses, couches and chairs, TYVEK tags printed by a dot matrix (impact) printer are almost universally used because of their tear resistance and sewability, both necessary requirements for a law tag. However normally such tags are part of a composition construction, typically connected to conventional card/label stock with adhesive. It is desirable to print the card/label stock with more readable print than is typically provided by dot matrix printers, e.g. to laser print the stock. However this is impractical in many situations because of damage to other indicia by the laser printer, or requires two passes of the composite material through printers. Also composite material tags are relatively expensive, there is significant waste associated therewith, perfing is sometimes less than optimum, there is less than optimum toner anchorage to the substrates, and it is difficult or tedious to print readily scannable bar codes on the substrate.
Another problem associated with conventional law tags is that they are subject to tearing or ripping either during the manufacturing/printing and subsequent attachment to the mattress, bedding or upholstered furnishings or they can be torn during shipment and set up. Moreover, law tags can also be torn off of these consumable goods while on retail display.
According to the present invention a method, business form containing a law tag, and combination of a law tag with a mattress, are provided which overcome the drawbacks discussed above. In particular, the business form according to the present invention is in single material sheet form and is readily perfable, and it has laser compatibility--yet it has sufficient tear resistance and sewability to be useful as a law tag, meeting governmental regulations with respect thereto. Using the business form according to the invention a mattress or other bedding manufacturer can obtain numerous advantages including lower cost for the tags, better readability of bar code information (such as on work tabs), lower overall cost of production of final printed tag products and at higher speed, and less waste of material.
According to one aspect of the invention, a method of constructing bedding tags using laser compatible and printable uniform material stock sheets having sufficient tear resistance to comply with requirements for a law tag on bedding, automatic sewing machine sewability, press printability, and perfability, is provided. The method comprises the following steps: (a) Imaging first indicia with heat resistant ink on the stock including law tag indicia. (b) Automatically perfing the stock to form at least first and second parts or portions separated by a first perf line, the first portion including the law tag indicia. (c) Laser printing variable indicia on each stock sheet, including composition material indicia on the first portion. (d) After steps (a)-(c) ultimately separating the first portion from the second portion along the first perf line; and then (e) sewing the first portion to upholstered furnishings, such as bedding, couches and chairs.
Step (e) is typically practiced by sewing the first portion to a mattress using an automatic sewing machine. At least one of steps (a) and (c) are practiced to image specifications or instructions for a mattress being constructed to correspond with the first portion law tag indicia. Step (b) is practiced to provide a second perf line to provide two sets of the first and second portions in a single sheet of stock, and to provide at least a third portion separated from the first or second portion by a second perf line, the third portion having a plurality of sub-portions separated by third perf lines; and wherein step (c) is practiced by bar code printing on at least some of the third portion sub-portions.
The method may also comprise the further step, substantially simultaneously with step (b), of die cutting the stock into the sheets, and step (c) is typically further practiced by printing piece-work indicia as the bar coding on the third portion sub-portions. There may also be the further steps, between steps (a) and (b), of drying the heat resistant ink indicia, and eliminating static from the stock.
According to another aspect of the present invention a business form, suitable for use in constructing law tags, is provided. The business form of the invention includes the following elements: A substrate of laser compatible and printable uniform material stock having sufficient tear resistance to comply with requirements for a law tag on bedding, automatic sewing machine sewability, press printability, and perfability. A first line of weakness separating the substrate into at least first and second portion. The first portion having law tag indicia imaged thereon, and contents indicia laser printing thereon; and the second portion having laser printed indicia thereon. Preferably a second line of weakness divides the substrate into a third portion, the third portion having laser printed bar code indicia thereon.
Typically the substrate comprises a sheet of roughly 81/2 by 11 inch or 81/2 by 14 inch size, and includes a third line of weakness dividing the sheet approximately in half, each half including first, second and third portions. A plurality of additional lines of weakness may be formed in the third portion, defining different work tabs, a plurality of the work tabs having bar code indicia associated therewith.
The substrate comprises 100-135# (preferably 120-125#) paper stock having one or more laser coatings thereon, such as Kimberly Clark Co. LASER S 90267. Also, the law tag indicia comprises heat resistant ink, such as a pastel from Water Ink Technologies, Inc. of Iron Station, N.C.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided in combination a mattress and a law tag, the law tag sewed to the upholstered furnishing, and the law tag comprising: a substrate of laser compatible and printable uniform material stock having sufficient tear resistance to comply with requirements for a law tag on a bedding, automatic sewing machine sewability, press printability, and perfability; law tag indicia printed on the substrate; and contents indicia laser printing also on the substrate.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide for the advantageous yet effective manufacture of law tags, and attachment thereof to upholstered furnishings. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the derailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.